NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is working to restore order in its areas after a storm in the national capital yesterday threw normal life out of gear.
Among the three corporations, NDMC, SDMC and EDMC maximum damage were reported from East Delhi, where nearly 20 trees or branches fell during the storm.
"The major problem was restoring vehicular traffic order in the streets. Though we started the restoration work last night only, today also we are clearing the streets of fallen trees or branches," North Delhi Municipal Corporation PRO Yogendra Singh Mann said.
The NDMC is clearing the roads and streets by chopping the fallen trees or branches. "Big trees were being cut into smaller logs and the wood is either sent to the Forest Department or to a crematorium depending on the size," Mann said.
At least nine people were killed in the NCR region, including six in Delhi, in the storm which hit last evening hitting road traffic, metro services, flight operations and power supply.
In North Delhi, at least nine complaints of tree or its branches falling were received by the North Corporation from its various zones yesterday, he said.
East Delhi Municipal Corporation received the maximum complaint of 20 such cases. While six complaints were received from Shahdara (North) Zone area, the remaining 14 complaints came from Shahdara (South) Zone, said Mann, who is also the PRO for EDMC.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation too was working on clearing trees and restoring order in its area, where a total of 11 complaints felling of trees or branches were reported.
Municipal official said that less number of trees fell this time after concrete around them were removed.
"Because of National Green Tribunal's order to 'deconcretise' trees in the city, less number of trees fell this time, about 30 to 40 per cent less than what used to be earlier," SDMC Public Relations Officer Mukesh Yadav said.
As per the NGT order, a minimum "concrete-less space" has to left around trees in the streets, he added.